Flooded Batteries on Float

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
(drifting further off course)

Aren't those high end desktop video cards made in the USA? I am soooo ignorant about computers. I know what a blue screen means though. A jokester company is selling a DVD that produces a blue screen with official Armageddon Warning. This is supposed to be funny when you pull it on a friend or co-worker.

In the case of Nvidia chipsets (US company), all video cards using their design are made by their respective manufacturers to Nvidia's very strict standards (they're so strict that there's essentially no difference between video card manufacturers). Same with AMD but they aren't a US company. If you own a desktop/laptop on the lower end of the price scale (say under $700-$1000 depends), the video will either be Intel or AMD generally (lower end Intel and AMD GPU's are on the CPU die ie on the processor chip itself). The reason why I say you'd have to build it yourself to even have a chance at all US made is because ALL off the shelf computers are built overseas, no matter who's name is on the case.

Phil, that's a good question on Wilson. Probably easy to find out with a quick search. Somehow I doubt all their components are US made though.

From an RV electronics viewpoint I "think" I have some US touched stuff in our rig: I believe that our 12 volt Wilson cellular band transceiver was at least assembled here (Utah?). Please tell me I'm right.

(drifting further off course)

Aren't those high end desktop video cards made in the USA? I am soooo ignorant about computers. I know what a blue screen means though. A jokester company is selling a DVD that produces a blue screen with official Armageddon Warning. This is supposed to be funny when you pull it on a friend or co-worker.

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Exemption: Computer CPU and peripherals.

The only thing in a desktop/laptop computer that's made here in the US is the CPU. Most everything else is made in China. It's been that way since the existence of the affordable desktop computer. Maybe with some careful choosing, you could build your own computer with components actually made here but it will difficult if not impossible (not possible with a laptop). I don't even know who still makes a power supply or computer case in the US. The next best thing, IMO, is finding something made in Taiwan IF you don't believe they're part of China (China does and some people do also). That would make things alot easier. Just be careful because some of the Taiwanese manufacturers also have plants in mainland China.

Just so you know, the best computer components are made in China/Taiwan. If you find some no name US made power supply maker, it won't be better than the best from China/Taiwan. That's just a fact.

I look at a new made in USA Tecumseh engine and weep. Chew & Spit.

I just purchased 2 rotors for a neighbor. Direct from Monterrey. Bendix. On the box "Made in USA". I know the proveedor for Bendix Mexico. The rotors were cast in Monclova, Nuevo Leon, shipped to Monterrey for finishing.

At least Optima battery is honest Made in Mexico.

It's when components are imported and assembled then the finished piece is labelled as originated from the place of assembly is where I have problems.

Maybe I shouldn't be so picky. Wait forever and try and save up to never purchase made in USA gear that I could never afford to begin with.

Don't get me started on the subject of bloodsucking speculators that control essential basic life support commodities... THAT and THAT ONLY is the reason why I cannot afford to purchase more made in USA merchandise.

"USA OEM IC manufacturers are outsourcing."

Maybe not all. Check where Texas Instruments and Linear Technology have their wafer fab areas located - especially for their linear (analog) ICs.

FWIW, Mother Nature on our level functions/appears as analog (except on the atomic and lower CERN levels, which are not "our levels") ... so many of our high tech products that folks think "are now all digital" do in fact require and have gobs of linear(analog) ICs in them. ;)

USA OEM IC manufacturers are outsourcing. Exemption: Computer CPU and peripherals. Singapore and Malaysia are also major manufacturers.

Mex wrote:
BTW the module for that TDS meter is more than likely Chinese.

I hope not. Maybe I should return it and make my own ... probably very easy to do!.

Re my 2005 E450 chassis .... remember I said above that it was 95-96% "back then" .... 95-96% is 95-96%. More recent research on where parts are coming from doesn't count for what may have been the case back then.

"Made in XX" country is what you have to look for, not whether XX company's name - that just happens to have their headquarters in XX country - is on the product or not.

By the way, "giving in" to all this manufacturing from far flung places and buying stuff from all over the map, anyway, is not helpful in reducing it. Vote with your wallet - it's a more powerful vote than you think - but I'm afraid it's too late.

Most of us (including myself many times) have already given in by chasing the almighty dollar. "Chasing the almighty dollar" has two faces: Either giving up too much in the long run trying to make a bigger money pile, or giving up too much in the long run trying to hang on to what small or large pile one might already have.

IMHO shopping for value, not price, is the name of the game.

P.S. I'm well aware of the Canadian parts and/or manufacturing content of my 2005 chassis. I just tried to keep it's birth place "mostly home" at the time I bought it.

Try buying a luxury German SUV...VW Audi, Porsche. All of them have an 8 speed automatic gear box, a high torque version capable of handling 1000 newton meters of Torque, from when Audi stuffed a big old 6L V12 TDI diesel that made those kind of numbers into an Audi Q7, just because they could.

Transmission? Aisin, made in Japan. In a Porsche. No idea where the AGM batteries that we sit on, just underneath the drivers seat are made. China? Lead smelting plants here in the USA were shut down by Obama. No more batteries or bullets?

All the car manufacturers buy parts from subcontractors, out of a 'toybox' You'd be surprised how many cars share the same part models and numbers.

That Touareg I bought last year has a 10 year /100,000 mile drive train warranty... is that excessive? Got it in ink, in writing, hope that ink is worth something.


I learned about 17 years ago that just because a part says Robert Bosch, does not mean it's german made. Tons of MAF sensors, temp sensors, all kinds of sensors, with the German name "Bosch" on them, were being made in China with little Quality Control oversight, and exceedingly high failure rates, on German made cars. Very,very maddening, paying german "quality" prices back then for chinese junk with just the "Robert Bosch" label on it. The Fleecing of the Lambs by Volkswagen.